On Craig's List... items are posted in the 'area' first and show up in the particular 'neighborhoods' a few minutes later. This explains why you are too late to get that free tent or lawn furniture even though it just popped up on your city's listing 30 seconds ago.

Pictures or it didn't happen GreycoyoteI a recovering swagaholic I have to resist my grabby nature VultureChowThose aren't buttermilk biscuits I'm lying on SavannahWe're out there to play like adults with no adult supervision CaptG

Toothpaste Dots for camping. Lay out foil sheet or parchment and make rows of dollops of toothPASTE. Allow to dry for 2-4 days. Sprinkle baking soda on top to keep from sticking. Repackage in small bags. To use simple pop one dot in your mouth, chew, then add a small amount of water in your mouth and start brushing. This tip reduces weight in your pack. could also work for travel in general.

Re-purposed TicTac Boxes for Camping Spices -brilliant

maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus

Ratty wrote:On Craig's List... items are posted in the 'area' first and show up in the particular 'neighborhoods' a few minutes later. This explains why you are too late to get that free tent or lawn furniture even though it just popped up on your city's listing 30 seconds ago.

Gyre, Gladly. I search Craig's List 'free' stuff all the time. It's mainly hilarious but once a year I score something really great. I'm searching in my town only. If I widen my search to the entire area, (east bay), I get to see the listings sooner.

In the East Bay listings I will see, 'Free. 3 room tent'. Behind the title it says Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord. BUT I am searching the entire East Bay listings. This way of searching includes 15 or 20 other towns. All the new listings show here 1st before they show up in their individual categories.

If I narrow the search to the Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord area only, that 3 room tent won't show up for several minutes.

So...if you want to get the free stuff first, widen your search area and you'll see it before other people that are only searching by their own town.

Also, send a short quick email to be the 1st one to reply and include your phone number. If you really want that free stuff offer money, cookies or beer. It works wonders at moving you to the top of the list.

I hope I've made it clear. Happy searching....

Pictures or it didn't happen GreycoyoteI a recovering swagaholic I have to resist my grabby nature VultureChowThose aren't buttermilk biscuits I'm lying on SavannahWe're out there to play like adults with no adult supervision CaptG

Thanks, Ratty.It isn't laid out that way here.I'll remember that though.

I recently got an entire truckload of stuff on cl.The important part is often being able to actually take it all.It's cost me a lot to do it so far, but I hope to make it back.I basically got an entire hallmark store.

Not in the free list, but was intrigued by a Pervey amp listed.When I called, she said "I broke up with my boyfriend and I want this stuff out of here".I couldn't get over there fast enough.I have a pickup bed full of dj equipment, including the CS400 Pervey amp.She put it in electronics instead of music eqt.It wasn't even far from here.Not overpriced.

A rule I follow is the further out, usually the better the deal, at least availability.

One night I saw a listing of some old car goodies, incl what may be the best car speakers ever made, Kef Kar, no longer sold.The price seemed nuts.I figured a joke or trashed.I stayed up until morning and called.A complete car system, some out of date, but nice.He is the web instructor for the local art college and his wife is going through tenure stuff, so he just wanted it to go to someone that knew what he had.He was as happy as I was.Another rare time I couldn't even negotiate price, even though it was a lot for me.The Kefs alone were worth it.

Re CL security, I went to look at a Pana and it was at a 1.3M house, so not everyone meets in parking lots.Actually a researcher from St Jude, all amazing folks there.

Here's my tip, other than cl -

If suturing your own arm, use the morphine in your leg, use novacaine or equiv local in the nerve area at the shoulder.Tie your arm to a tree and do your best.Based of first person account from combat.

Pictures or it didn't happen GreycoyoteI a recovering swagaholic I have to resist my grabby nature VultureChowThose aren't buttermilk biscuits I'm lying on SavannahWe're out there to play like adults with no adult supervision CaptG

Make a free xmas tree by asking for a bunch of the branches that they cut off at Home Depot or wherever else is selling trees. Stick them in a tall stock pot/tomato cage/whatever, tie em together in your desired design. This year my gf forced me to shell out $30 and get a real tree tho

"just two indecisive cowboys, trying to play a word game." - piehole"Just apply intelligence and discretion and you should be able to get away with just about anything." - Ugly Dougly

Me too.The cheery part is that it worked.Bayonet wound fifty miles from a hospital, don't know how long in time.Survived, and I think the arm did too.

I've mentioned my friend that sewed his own fingers back on as a teenager, and not because he had to.Never went to a doctor.Can't say I understand it, but when someone parrots "radical self reliance" I think of him doing that.Or the czech woman here that lived like she was in the mountains and pulled her own teeth, etc.

I wish we had a better CL layout here.I'm looking at rural real estate and it's sort of all or nothing.

MacGlenver wrote:Make a free xmas tree by asking for a bunch of the branches that they cut off at Home Depot or wherever else is selling trees. Stick them in a tall stock pot/tomato cage/whatever, tie em together in your desired design. This year my gf forced me to shell out $30 and get a real tree tho

If I ever need a shit-ass-looking, Charlie Brown Christmas tree I'll have to remember this tip!

"The essence of tyranny is not iron law. It is capricious law." -- Christopher Hitchens

MacGlenver wrote:Make a free xmas tree by asking for a bunch of the branches that they cut off at Home Depot or wherever else is selling trees. Stick them in a tall stock pot/tomato cage/whatever, tie em together in your desired design. This year my gf forced me to shell out $30 and get a real tree tho

If I ever need a shit-ass-looking, Charlie Brown Christmas tree I'll have to remember this tip!

Many years in a row, (when my son was a little kid) in the mountains around Jerome, we would collect just one branch from many different trees... there were a few different types of needle-bearing pines and fir and juniper. We'd bundle them all together, put them in a big bucket with rocks (for weight) and water, and decorate them with home-made decorations, and wrap the bucket with nice red fabric. It didn't hurt the trees, and smelled wonderful. And, it was a fun adventure each year to collect the branches.Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh.... good memories!

For those of you who enjoy Dirty Martinis: Once you've depleted all the brine in your olive jar, refill the jar (Olives still in) with water, about 1 1/2tbs of. Sea Salt and a splash of vinegar. Shake and refrigerate. Longer it sets the more olive flavor it accumulates. Shake again before use.

mabe my fav forum yetGyre, on an island off the upper No.west we made E.R. medical memories ..where are yours from?

the Xmas branches are the way I always do tree-like and with home made bird paper ornaments LED lightedthe birds have to be fac-simile of favsbut the star on top of the branches is a pschedelic color changer.my daughter says next year I must become more traditional for the sake of her child..not sure if I can

MacGlenver wrote:Make a free xmas tree by asking for a bunch of the branches that they cut off at Home Depot or wherever else is selling trees. Stick them in a tall stock pot/tomato cage/whatever, tie em together in your desired design. This year my gf forced me to shell out $30 and get a real tree tho

If you lose your motivation to complete the project,(in my case, a wreath) driving around with the free fresh cut branches in your car for a week or two really makes your car smell nice.

junglesmacks wrote:..and you know, at least we get to throw toilet paper in there. When I lived in Central America, you weren't allowed to throw TP down the toilet, ever. I could never get used to the idea though even after 6 years there though..

haha so true. I had the same issue in Chile. I theorized that it was because they used a ridiculous amount of toilet paper to make up for the fact that they always bought really poor quality toilet paper. I thought the solution was to buy good toilet paper and just use a small amount. I gave up on that theory when our toilet started to act funny... Really is just something to do with the plumbing I guess.

When I came back to the states I had to constantly remind myself to flush the toilet paper and not to toss it in the waste basket.